Christmas Break

Woof! I'm taking a Christmas blog break. Merry Christmas to you and yours. The blog will return on Monday, January 5th.

Thinking about Good King Wenceslas

Have you ever really thought about the words to Christmas carols that we sing every year? They're too long to copy in this blog, but I encourage you to click the link and read the full lyrics to Good King Wenceslas.

     http://www.carols.org.uk/good_king_wenceslas.htm

It's all about this good king who looks out his window and sees a poor man gathering fire wood. He takes his page and they bring the poor man food and fire wood. The wind is bitter cold, and the king's page grows weak and doesn't think he can make it. The king has him walk behind him, in his footsteps. This (1) blocks the wind, and (2) it's warmer where the king has stepped.

Think about that. When we face life with Jesus, he doesn't remove us from the bitter wind, from the suffering and sacrifice one endures by doing good, but he helps us bear it. We're doing it with him.

The song ends with these lines:

     Ye who now will bless the poor

     Shall yourselves find blessing

What a good thought for Christmas.

Thinking about Hark the Herald Angles Sing

Have you ever really thought about the words to Christmas carols that we sing every year? They are two lines in the second verse of this song:

     Pleased as man with man to dwell

     Jesus our Emmanuel

Wow. It still blows my mind thinking about God leaving his throne in heaven to be with us. To die for us. And all when we hated him. Christmas is such a special time, when even the secular world constantly plays this songs the proclaim the Gospel so powerfully.

Thinking about O Little Town of Bethlehem

Have you ever really thought about the words to Christmas carols that we sing every year? The end of the first verse of O Little Town of Bethlehem goes:

     In thy dark streets shineth

     The everlasting Light.

     The hopes and fears of all the years

     Are met in thee tonight.

Jesus really is the culmination of all of mankind's hopes and dreams. Jesus can still shine in the dark streets of our lives today as much as ever. He is ready and willing. Are we?

Thinking about Angels We Have Heard on High

Have you ever really thought about the words to Christmas carols that we sing every year? The chorus of Angels We Have Heard on High goes:

     Gloria in excelsis Deo!

It means “Glory to God in the highest!” At Christmas, even the secular world plays these songs. As pagan as our society has become, there's still one time of year where God's praise echos from under every rock, from every store. It does the heart good.

Thinking about What Child Is This?

Have you ever really thought about the words to Christmas carols that we sing every year? Sometimes you don't have to get past the title.

     What Child Is This?...

Whose child am I? Do we realize the answer depends on the question above? We would not be God's children if Jesus had not been Mary's. Think about that today.

Thinking about O Holy Night

Have you ever really thought about the words to Christmas carols that we sing every year? The end of the first verse of O Holy Night, with the first line of the chorus, is amazing.

     A thrill of hope

     The weary world rejoices

     For yonder breaks

     A new and glorious morn!

     Fall on your knees...

Are we weary this holiday season? God has the thrill of hope and a new and glorious morn for us, but it requires that we fall on our knees. Think about that today.

Thinking about O Come All Ye Faithful

Have you ever really thought about the words to Christmas carols that we sing every year?

     O Come, All Ye Faithful,

     Joyful and triumphant!

Sometimes you barely get past the title. Stop and just think about that right there. We're Christians, we're the faithful, but are we joyful and triumphant? We intellectually know we are, but do we get deceived into acting like we're not. Think about that, and may we all live out “joyful and triumphant” today.

Thinking about O Come O Come Emmanuel

Have you ever really thought about the words to Christmas carols that we sing every year? Have we taken the meaning of these songs for granted? Think about what the words of this song really mean:

     O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

     And ransom captive Israel,

     That mourns in lonely exile here,

     Until the Son of God appear.

     Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

     Shall come to thee, O Israel.

The cool thing is “Emmanuel” means “God With Us”. Rejoice this Christmas – God has come to be with us! For real!

Thinking about Carole of the Bells

This is one of my favorite Christmas carols. Have you ever really thought about these words? Think about this while reading the words below. We're the bells. Are we ringing?

     Hark how the bells,

     Sweet silver bells,

     All seem to say,

     “Throw cares away.”

     Christmas is here

     Bringing good cheer

     To young and old

     Meek and the bold.

     One seems to hear

     Words of good cheer

     From everywhere

     Filling the air.

     Oh, how they pound!

     Raising the sound!

     Over hill and dale,

     Telling their tale.

     On, on they send,

     On without end,

     Their joyful tone

     To every home.

Thinking about Joy to the World

Have you ever really thought about the words to Christmas carols that we sing every year? Have we taken the meaning of these songs for granted? Think about what the words of this song really mean:

     Joy to the world!

     The Lord has come!

     Let earth receive her king!

     Let every heart

     Prepare him room,

     And heaven and nature sing.

Let this bounce around your heart today.